Uber Has Been Banned in London

It’s been a difficult year for Uber. Numerous corporate scandalshave plagued the service in 2017 and the dirt has led to the departure of several high-ranking employees. It got worse for the ride sharing app this past summer when investors ousted Uber co-founder and CEO, Travis Kalanick. The boss, who dealt with his own public troubles in February of this year, resigned from his position following a hand-delivered letter from corporate shareholders.

Despite the relative turmoil, Uber has remained a consistent and trusty option for its many users around the world. The service has outlasted internal chaos to remain a top downloaded app on mobile stores, with countless trips completed every day. In fact, 2016, there were a reported 2 billion trips taken, and as of writing, the company has drivers in 83 countries and over 674 cities around the globe.

One place Uber is becoming difficult to use, however, is the United Kingdom. Thanks to municipal lawmakers in London, the rideshare tool will no longer be legal on city streets. The move was made by transportation officials who vetoed any chance of Uber maintaining its license to operate. The Guardian newspaper reports that the mayoral body’s decision was due to Uber not being a “fit and proper” taxi service.

Uber’s legal team is already fighting the removal, which would affect approximately 40,000 drivers and 3.5 million users. The ruling is being protested by the company and its many supporters, but London officials are not making things easy for Uber. Could this verdict spell the end of the service in England, or is this simply an overreaction by a board behind the times?

Aidan is a writer from Toronto. His favourite things in the world are music, movies, and mini dachshunds. Give him a follow on Twitter at @aidandaoust, where he’ll also accept your mixtape submissions.